I’ve reached the point where I need to catch up here or I’ll be so behind forever ;).

First off, Baycon was last weekend, and it was amazing. I had so much fun hanging out with friends, it was so relaxed and enjoyable. I was the pro for one of the writing workshops, which I love — talking to new writers about what makes their books tick is fantastic. And then I was on (and moderated!) a panel about the future of antibiotics, which, while grim subject-wise, was immensely fun to be on.

On Monday, I go off to Launchpad! It’s an astronomy camp for writers, and I pretty much can’t wait! I know a ton of people who’ve been in the past, and have some friends going among the current crew — it’s apparently like getting a year’s worth of graduate astronomy lectures crammed into one week. My brain is ready! :D

And, I’ve been writing. A ton. My book’s coming along nicely. I usually have a horse-and-rider relationship with my manuscripts, and up until now I’ve been the one in charge — but this book’s different. I’m the horse this time, just taking it where it needs to go. It’s strange, but good.

Last, but not least, I’ve been keeping up with boxing. I find it incredibly enjoyable. I already talked about this on FB, but yesterday I was assaulted by a homeless guy in Berkeley.

My last boxing lesson, I was totally drained at the end of last session, and my trainer started shouting at me to imagine punching someone I hated. That didn’t help because, as it turns out, I don’t hate anyone. Talking to my husband about it later, he made a face and was all, “I think your boxing instructor’s a psychopath,” in a teasing, half-not-teasing way.

Well, yesterday I was standing by a friend in Berkeley near a main street in daylight when a homeless person came up and kicked me in the back, hard. I screamed in surprise — he kicked me hard enough to make me fall into my friend and for my sunglasses to fall.

Luckily for me, he just walked off, and things didn’t escalate. We got into my friend’s car and trailed him while I talked to 911, and gave them a description. There not being much other crime in Berkeley, two cars went off to look for him, while another cop came over to talk to me.

I know how many homeless people are mentally ill, I see them each and every day at work. So we basically had a, “Yeah, it pretty much sucks,”-type convo. It’s not like I want to press charges. I only reported it in case this guy goes off on some sort of kicking-spree.

I know how it is. Coulda been my voice, my hair, my backpack, time of day, whatever. I hate those existential moments when there’s no reason for things, things just are. I know I’m lucky that it didn’t get worse. I am bemused that this happened in Berkeley, since Oakland’s the far more traditionally ‘dangerous’ locale.

After that, I picked up my husband early from work — and he’s all, “You can take as many boxing lessons as you want to,” heh.